FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
To: News Media and Community Leaders
From: Bamberg County Administration
Date: February 6, 2026
Re: Bamberg County to Offer FREE Opioid Addiction Treatment
Bamberg, South Carolina (February 2026) –Bamberg County has been awarded grant funding from the South Carolina Opioid Relief Fund (SCORF) to support a comprehensive set of opioid abatement strategies aimed at saving lives, strengthening public health data, and expanding access to treatment for county residents. Bamberg County will work closely with the Low Country Health Care System to provide free treatment and therapy to residents with opioid addiction. Our service locations:
Padgett Family Practice – 526 North Street, Bamberg, SC
Bamberg Specialty Services – 185 McGee Street, Bamberg, SC
Key Benefits Include:
Enhanced Overdose Surveillance and Data Accuracy
- SCORF funding will support the purchase of advanced toxicology equipment for the
- Bamberg County Coroner’s Office, allowing faster, in-house drug testing in suspected overdose cases. This will significantly reduce turnaround times for toxicology results, improve accuracy in cause-of-death reporting, and enable near-real-time identification of emerging drug trends, supporting a faster public health response.
Free Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for County Residents
- In partnership with Low Country Health Care System, Bamberg County will launch
- a new MAT program that provides no-cost treatment—including FDA-approved medications, medical monitoring, and behavioral health support—to residents with opioid use disorder. The program is designed to reduce treatment barriers by bringing essential services closer to home.
Countywide Education and Awareness Campaign
- The County will implement a multi-channel media campaign to increase awareness
- of available MAT services and educate residents on substance use prevention. Outreach efforts will include billboards, radio messaging, and printed materials distributed through schools and community partners to ensure broad countywide reach.
Implementation of the funded initiatives is expected to begin in early 2026, with services and outreach rolling out in phases throughout the year.
Low Country Health Care System CEO Ashley Barnes expressed her gratitude to Bamberg County for their assistance in securing this important funding: “We are truly excited about our partnership with Bamberg County. Low Country Health Care System has prior experience caring for individuals with substance use disorders, and this new collaboration will enable us to make a greater impact on Bamberg County residents. We will provide the medical care, medications, therapy, and resources necessary to treat individuals. Furthermore, this grant will support additional advocates who work to prevent substance abuse, educate the community, and provide a safe space for families to access resources. We want residents to know that we are a medical home for those who need us, regardless of the health challenge they face. With Bamberg County’s support, we will continue to serve the community and expand our services.”
“Bamberg County greatly appreciates Low Country Health Care System and SCORF for helping us obtain this grant, which is a critical investment in the health and safety of our community,” said Joey Preston, Bamberg County Administrator. “This collaboration gives Bamberg County the necessary tools to respond more effectively to the opioid crisis, support residents in recovery, and make informed decisions that protect lives.”
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For more information, please email info@bambergcounty.sc.gov.